Improvement in buggy-tops



D. W'. SALADEE'.

Buggy-Tops.

Patented Sept. 8,1874.

INVENTORZ 4WITNEZSSES UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFIoa CYRUS. W. SALADEE, OF BRIDGEWATER, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BuGev-ToPs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,916, dated September 8, 1874; application filed v September 2, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GYRUs W. SALADEE, of Bridgewater, county of Beaver, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Carriage-Tops, of which the following` is a specification embodying my invention:

.The nature of my present invention consists in supporting the wooden or memtatllic frame of a calash carriage-top upon iron or other suitable 'metallic standards, the lower ends of said standards operating upon suitably-provided pivotbearings secured to the seat or body, and are otherwise supported by two or more ofthe ordinary top-joint irons.

The object attained in this novel construction of top is, first, there being no bows eX- tending down to the seat in the usual way, there is no front bow in the way of getting in and out of the buggy; second, discarding the extended ends of the bows dispenses also with the necessity of covering them with leather, in the usual way, as also the use of the Slat-irons required for securin g the lower ends oi' wooden bows to the seat 5 third, connecting the jointirons to the iron standards of the top, no topprops are required; and, lastly, the frame of the top being rigidly constructed prevents its collapsing when thrown back, and thus protects the leather, of which it is in part composed, from wearing out; also, this construction of rigid frame admits of carrying the side curtains of the top rolled up in their position on the sides of the top, whether the top iscarried up or down.

The accompanying drawings are a side and front elevation of a seat and top, and which clearly illustrate my invention,and will be readily understood by all persons skilled in the art of coach-making.

The short bows H have their lower ends framed into side pieces I, and their center portion rigidly secured to the top center piece I; and thus the four short bows H, two side pieces, I, (there being one of these on each side of the top,) and the top center piece l constitute the complete frame or shell of the' top. This frame is supported upon standards A and A A', one on each side of the top, the top ends of which are rigidly and firmly secured to the sides of the top, at or about the points B and B. The lower ends of the standards A have an eye, which is received and held upon a corresponding pivot upon the seat at F, and upon which the standard is permitted to move in throwing the top back, thus forming a joint at this point. The joint-irons C are pivoted at the top to the rear branch of the standard at D, and the lower end to the seat at E.

Now, when the joints C are pushed back, the top is allowed, by reason of the joint at F, to fall back and assume the position shown by the dotted lines, and when, I wish it to be observed, the top is not only entirely out of the way, but is not folded up, as would be the case upon the old plan of constructing this class of tops.

The side curtains J are firmly fastened to the sides of the top at the line L. They are thus firmly secured, for the reason that, as the top is never folded up, in the usual way, their removal is never required, and ,they are rolled up out of the way when not fin use, and carried on the inside of the standards.

Should it, however, be necessary to secure and carry these side curtains on ythe outside of the standards, it will only be necessary to secure the top ends of the latter to the under or inside of the pieces I, and secure the top end of the joint-iron C to a single top-prop at P, and the top will operate all the same.

It will now be noticed that, if this top were constructed in the usual way, with full-length bows, the front bow would be in the position of the dotted lines N, and directly in the way of getting in and out of the body, and which is a great annoyance and discomfort to those using this kind of top. But, by cutting off these bows at the line L, the front bowis no longer in the way, and the form of the standard A is such as most effectually remedies this great defect, as will be clearly comprehcnded upon reference to the drawings.

The form or style of these standards may vary to suit the fancy of the maker; and, if two prongs, A and A', are not deemed sufficient, more may be added; and, when preferred, the joint-iron C may have its top end uniformly secured to the top upon a single top-prop at P, as before described.

I am aware that top-frames have been sup-v ported upon metallic standards in standing tops, the whole rigidly constructed, and not intended to be thrown back, as in roekaways, phaetons, &c.; also, that falling tops have been made with all metallic bows and standards, and with a complication of joints and pieces, which has deprived this class of tops of all practical utility.

My invent-ion will be found dierent from all other constructions of carriage-tops in this, that the rigidlyconstructed skeleton-frame canopy proper is supported upon a single standard, A, having two or more prongs, A', rigidly secured to the skeleton-frame, while the lower end of the standard is pivoted to the seat, so as to admit of the top falling back,

and said standard, in combination with the ordinary top-joint C.

This construction and combination of parts I believe to be not only novel in the class to which it belongs, but as possessing, at the same time, points of merit in use and advantages in its manufacture not possessed or attained in any other top of which I have any knowledge. Less than one-half the material is required for the bows, as compared to the ordinary long bows; there are no bows to cover-with leather; no Slat-irons to furnish, nor trouble to put them on; no top-props to purchase and apply, and only two joint-irons, G, in place of four, to be applied. Besides, there is no front bow in the way of getting in or out; no bows to be broken in falling the top; the sideA curtains need never be removed 5 the top does not fold up when thrown back, but is always kept taut and smooth, and thereby prevents the leather of the top from wearing out; and, lastly, it is both novel and ornamental in its general outline and appearance, and will cost from ten to fifteen dollars less than the oldstyle falling top of like gradeI of materials, and is at all times and under all circumstances far more readily repaired than the old-style tops, because more easily taken apart. p

I claim as my invention- A carriage-top having a rigid skeleton-frame canopy, supported on each side upon a metallic standard, the top ends of which are firmly and rigidly secured to the sides of the skele ton frame, and the lower ends hinged or pivoted to the seat or body and the joint-irons C, all combined substantially as and for the purpose set forth. Y

' CYRUS W SALADEE.

Witnesses:

WM. H. MINNIX, GEO. T. MASON. 

